Finger Injury Compensation Claims & Settlement Values

Injuries to the fingers and hand are known to cause serious loss of independence and dexterity. They can lead to someone being unable to work, take care of day-to-day household chores or enjoy regular pastimes.

Around 10% of A&E visits relate to hand injuries and considerable numbers of UK workers report painful symptoms within the muscles, tendons and nerves of the fingers as a result of repetitive strains. If they can’t work, many are left with no option other than to make a claim for finger injury compensation.

If you have suffered a finger injury at work or have developed a repetitive strain injury to the fingers (such as vibration white finger), you may well have a valid claim for finger injury compensation.

All fingers are not equal

Claims for personal injury compensation are often governed by precedent and previous case law. As such, in claims for finger injury compensation, UK courts have issued rulings that recognise some fingers as being more important than others when considering full use of the hand and fine motor tasks.

The thumb, index and middle finger will be considered as the most important fingers, with injuries to these more dominant fingers achieving a higher compensation settlement than a lesser finger with a similar level of injury.

When an admission of liability is obtained by a solicitor pursuing a finger injury compensation claim, they will enter in to a settlement negotiation with the defendant and their insurers. Using medical evidence and expert reports and the guidelines published by the Judicial College, an acting solicitor will have an understanding of the maximum and minimum compensation award applicable for your type of injury.

How much compensation will I get?

Each and every claim for personal injury compensation will be settled at a level appropriate for the particulars of the claim. With regards to claim for finger injury compensation, approximate settlement values can be as follows:

A non-complex fracture to any finger is likely to obtain an average compensation settlement in the range of just under £2,000 and up to almost £3,500.

The loss of or amputation of a little finger will usually achieve a financial settlement value of approximately £5-6,000.

The loss of an index or middle finger which seriously impacts on the use of and dexterity of the hand and reduces hand use will reach a far higher settlement valuation and would usually be settled at a minimum of £50,000 to over £70,000.

The amount of compensation will depend on the severity of the injury and its long term implications. Having instructed a medical expert to review the finger injury and provide a detailed report, a solicitor will be able to advise on the appropriate tariff range for your particular claim.

Various issues will decide on an appropriate value for a claim, with the type of finger and how the injury impacts on the claimant being an important factor. If a claimant can demonstrate that their finger injury will prevent them from being able to further a specific career path, or prevent them from continuing with previously enjoyed pastimes, a claim will be settled at a higher rate than for someone who is unable to provide such proof.

The final compensation settlement provided in a finger injury claim will also take in to account special damages, ie. loss of income, personal care costs, incurred expenses and other costs caused by the injury.

Compensation amounts

The following figures are a guide to how much compensation you might expect for the finger injury itself, your final settlement could be a lot more when other costs are taken into account.

Severity of injury

Compensation amount

Amputation of index and middle and/or ring fingers

£47,050 - £75,900

Serious finger injury which reduces the hand to about 50% capacity, along with disfigurement

Proving negligence in finger injuries

To succeed with a claim for finger injury compensation, it is vital that negligence can be attributed to a 3rd party – such as an employer, business or land owner.

The most common cause of finger injury compensation claims is as a result of an accident at work or repetitive strain injury. With employers being obliged to follow Health & Safety regulations and guidance, our expert staff will be able to help you to identify whether your employer has failed to fulfil their statutory duties. If so, negligence is likely and your claim for finger injury compensation will succeed.

If your finger injury was caused by a slip or fall or due to the negligence of another party, such as in a road traffic accident, you may also have a valid claim.

How Direct2Compensation can help

At Direct2Compensation we know your rights and we know personal injury law. If you have suffered a finger injury, whether as a result of an accident or a repetitive strain, our simple to understand No Win No Fee claims process will give you the confidence to pursue your claim for compensation.

We have expert solicitors available to represent you through your claim and we’ll ensure that your compensation settlement will appropriately reflect your suffering and expenses.

How do I start my claim?

At Direct2Compensation finding out more about making a claim or starting your claim for finger injury compensation is easy. You can call our friendly and helpful staff on 01225 430285 or get your claim started online today. We take pride in making sure that you feel understood and look forward to helping you make your claim.

About Ian Morris

I've been involved in the management of personal injury claims for nearly 20 years. Outside of work, I'm married with 2 beautiful daughters. I love surfing, snowboarding and spending time with my family. You can find me on Twitter.

Please note we can only deal with claims within the UK legal system. Your question will appear once approved and we'll answer it as soon as we can. Your email address will not be published, your name will, so feel free just to use a first name.

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Questions & Answers

Sylva 13th February 2020 at 6:56 pm

Good evening, please I got my little finger cut off with a table in my work place Last week when trying to position the table. I am so confused I just want to know if it’s ok for me to ask for a compensation and how do I go about it? Thanks

Please ensure that the details of your injury and the cause of the injury are noted within your employers accident book. If you would like to pursue a claim for compensation, please call our office to seek further help. You can call us on 01225430285 or you can let us know of a good time to call you.

Not sure if I’m at the right place but I climbed over a fence at school which had no sign stating it was sharp at the top. I tore my hand/finger and had 20+ stitches, and had general anaesthetic operation, not sure if I can claim on this but just wondering.

It is not likely to be the case that you could succeed with such a claim. The question of ‘why were you climbing the fence’ and ‘why didn’t you use the gate’ would be asked and you would probably be held liable for your own misfortune.

Hi, My son used to work in the kitchen of our local bowling alley. He was emptying the dishwasher in work and grabbed two plates together to dry. It seemed one of the plates had cracked and the cracked plate cut the inside of his middle finger on his left hand, he is left handed. This resulted with his manager taking him to A+E and his finger in a terrible state was sutured with about 6 stitches or more. He now has a numb finger where he has suffered nerve damage and is unable to bend his finger. It was approx 5 years ago and do wonder whether he would be entitled to make a claim as it is affecting his work, now he is a barber. I wonder if you would be kind enough to advise us. Many thanks.

If your Son is under the age of 21 years, he would be within the limitation period for such a claim. UK law requires that any person wishing to make a claim for personal injury compensation must do so within 3 years of the date of their accident or for those under the age of 18 at the time of injury, before their 21st birthday.

I suffered a cut to my finger today whilst at work. The cut was caused by a glass jar that was smashed whilst loading stock onto the shelves. Everything was logged and cctv was recovered, I have been A & E and had butterfly stitches. I have been told to avoid bending the top of my middle finger for 10 days whilst the wound heals. Do I have a case?

There is a possible claim for compensation as a result of your injury. We would need to consider whether the employer could have prevented the injury – perhaps by providing safety gloves?

Our Solicitors would certainly be happy to consider your claim and offer qualified advice, so please do call us on 01225430285 to speak with our team or if you prefer, you can use this link to make further contact.

I cut myself at work with a Sawzall I did have to go home for the rest of the day because I got sick and the next day. I can move my finger decent. My concern is my finger and thumb feel like they are asleep all the time. And while holding a glass sometimes I will just drop it. It’s like my hand just quits working. And then not all the time but sometimes my thumb area will get a deep pain in it and I have to yank on it and pop it for it to quit. It didn’t hurt when it happened it’s now five months after the incident that I’m starting to see all these things I told my boss about them and he told me not to worry about it his wife was a nurse and the feeling will come back all that it is is a little after shock. And no I didn’t go to the hospital when it happened we just glued it.

The situation you describe highlights why it is so important that the details of any accident in the workplace are properly reported and recorded in an accident book and that appropriate medical attention is sought for the injuries sustained.

An accident book entry and appropriate medical records provides a specialist Solicitor acting for a claimant with helpful evidence to be used to support their efforts in attempting to succeed with a claim for personal injury compensation.

In your case, if the accident was not officially recorded and reported in the employers accident book, how can you demonstrate that the accident happened at work. Further, the lack of medical records makes it harder for you to prove that the injury sustained at the time, is related to the problem that you have now. In other words, a defendant insurer and their legal representative will find many avenues to make it difficult for you to succeed with a claim against them.

I was injured on the 17th of May 2019. I cut my palm open and the start of my right middle finger and the skin from the front. I did this by climbing over a fence in school. I did speak with the leader of the school and he asked me a few questions such as: was there a ‘do not climb sign’ which there wasn’t and there still isn’t.

I am only 16 but i want something doing about it. The fence that I climbed over had little spikes at the top and that’s what I got caught on.

Firstly, as you are 16 years of age, you will not be able to pursue a claim without having parental or legal guardian support. Any person under the age of 18 can only pursue a claim if they are supported by a parent or guardian who will act on their behalf as a litigation friend – a role that enables them to make a claim for a child.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it would appear that you have climbed over a fence that is designed to prevent access. Fences with spikes are commonly used for security purposes and one would not expect a sign to be erected to warn against climbing.

In this matter, my initial view is that you have been the author of your own misfortune and it is unlikely that you would succeed with a claim against the school.

Hey, I work as cleaner for flats in central London. Recently I have had many issues with my employer and work. They have consistently paid me late for no valid reason. They do not provide me with staff toilet facilities. Only the flats I work in. Moreover, they do not even provide a first aid kit. Recently I cut my finger deep while working. I had to use a tenants toilet to clean up, go to buy a plaster and band aid. No concern was shown towards me and was told to continue even though the pain was very agonising. These standards are a recurring theme here, so would i be able to make a claim?

The issues with late payment is something you should discuss with your Union, the HR department of your employer or an employment law Solicitor as are the issues with the lack of first aid kits and staff toilets.

With regards to the laceration to your finger, you may be able to claim against the employer for that but only if the cut can be attributed to employer negligence and if the injury is sufficiently serious.

I suffered a badly broken finger at my previous place of employment 5 years ago which required surgery and rehabilitation. I won a personal injury claim against my previous employer and was paid compensation. The surgeon assured me my finger would be like normal after physiotherapy, it isn’t, it’s very badly bent and iv lost nearly all movement in the top half and it’s getting worse – can I claim against the surgeon or hospital?

If the surgery was conducted 5 years ago, you would be out of limitation to pursue a claim for clinical negligence.

However, if the surgery was more recent, or you have only recently been aware of the ongoing issues with your finger, you may have grounds for a claim. This is something you would need to address with a clinical negligence Solicitor.

I fractured my finger placing grills at my worksite. I had no experience and nobody had shown me how to do it. It isn’t even in my department because i’m supposed to be with the pour crew. The employer did send me to the doctor and everything. I’m going to almost 2 months and my index finger hasn’t got better – I cant fully close my hand because my index finger is still swollen. Is there anything i can do? I can’t operate well with my job duties because of my finger.

UK law obliges all employers to ensure that staff can work safely and that the risk of injury in the workplace is minimised. With this in mind, an employer needs to ensure that staff are adequately trained in order that they can work safely and it would seem that in your case, this has not been the case.

Injuries to the fingers, particularly the index fingers can be very problematic and hinder day-to-day activities and dexterity, therefore claiming compensation for the pain and discomfort of such an injury along with hopeful access to specialist rehabilitation therapies provided during the claims process is a just and sensible move to make.

I am a genuine claimant yet solicitors will not take my case to court as no one is claiming liability. I am left with my index Finger severed off from door at doctors surgery, my whole life has changed, lost job and my home, where do I go from here?

If a Solicitor has been unable to take a claim to court, it is not because they question your honesty, it is clearly because they do not believe that they have sufficient evidence to succeed before a judge. Having insufficient evidence does not mean that you are dishonest, it simply means that there is nothing available to prove that the defendant has been negligent.

Given that your injury was caused by a dangerous hazard in the workplace, it is likely that you could make a claim for compensation against the employers insurance cover. Any person injured in a workplace accident where the injury can be attributed to negligence is likely to succeed with a claim for compensation under UK law. In this case, the fact that the toilet bowl was broken is something that may well see the employer having to admit a safety breach and therefore pay compensation.

Under UK law, you would have a valid claim for compensation if the cause of your injuries can be attributed to employer negligence. In your case, if your employer has not provided you with adequate training in the safe use of the knives required for your work or any of the equipment provided was not fit for purpose, you would have a valid claim for compensation.

I have a colleague who is a Postman, over twelve months ago he injured his little finger [of his dominant hand] by slicing through the tendon with a knife while at home. As a result of this injury, scar tissue formed which substantially limited the movement in that little finger of his dominant hand.

He has recently had surgery to remove the damaged tendon and needed four weeks off work to recover. He was instructed to have four weeks off work by his surgeon. He will have a graft to replace the tendon at some point in the future.

As a result of him needing time off to recover from the first surgery, he may be given an attendance warning by our employer.

I might say: He has a disabled finger; It is a substantial disability because he works with his hands; It is a long-term disability because it has lasted longer than twelve months, and in any event, it will be for the rest of his life; It affects his ability to do ‘normal day-to-day activities’ include everyday things such as eating, washing, and his work; Because He has a Substantial Long Term Disability which affects his ability to do ‘normal day-to-day activities’ he qualifies for protection under the Equality Act 2010; And as such he is protected by law from being disciplined for the time he was off work.

Would he have a case to bring a claim if he were disciplined for taking four weeks off work to recover from surgery on his disabled finger?

You would not have a claim in the scenario you describe – except if you rent the property and the gate latch/lock is broken, or if fitted, disrepaired and therefore you could not prevent the gate from slamming in the wind. You’d also have had to make a report of the disrepair or missing lock to the landlord to put them on notice of the possible risk to health.

I got hurt at work by a fabric cutting machine. Two fingers on my left hand were badly laceration and I had to go to Hospital for emergency treatment. An Ambulance had been called but as the wait was so long, I went under my own steam to Hospital.

Once at Hospital, the Doctor stitched my fingers and I transferred to another Hospital. At work they didn’t even do anything about my injury until very recently. My fingers are still in considerable pain and I can’t even wash myself properly.

If your hand was caught in the fabric cutting machine through a lack of training or supervision or because of a faulty or missing safety guard, you would be able to succeed with a claim against your employer.

I work on the railway and was sent in to a steel mill to conduct a job I was neither trained for, nor supervised appropriately. During this role I ended up with a finger Locked in a rail wagon door, resulting in a fractured index finger. Taking prescribed medicine I ended up with feeling of depression and sadness. Am I in a position to claim?

You describe a clear case of employer negligence and as such, my initial view is that you have a valid claim to be pursued against your employer. The injury to your finger can be directly linked to a lack of training and supervision in a role that you were not ‘qualified’ to perform. As such, I think you should make a claim.

We would be very happy to help you in this instance. If you would like to take it further, please use our ‘contact us’ function on the website so that we can call you to discuss this with you.

I fractured my little finger at work while going through swinging doors – my finger got stuck in the handle, and bent right back until it cracked. I have now been put on light duties at work. Can I make a claim?

We can look further in to this for you as there could be a claim. We need to find out a little more about how the accident happened and the nature of the walkway/swing door before we can ascertain whether or not you have a valid claim for accident at work compensation.

I severed the tip of my middle finger last week passing through a door in my workplace and just had surgery to remove the top joint so it can heal – I am doing medical assessments and type reports and am a touch typist/Nurse. Can I claim compensation for long term affect of my injury?

You have clearly suffered a serious laceration injury at work and should investigate further as to whether or not you have a valid claim. If it can be shown that the cause of your laceration and amputation of the tip of your finger joint was due to negligence on behalf of the employer, you would be able to claim compensation for the injury and also recover any loss of income caused by the incident.

It is obvious that something extremely sharp has injured your finger and the question is whether that item should have been present or protected by a guard etc.

In the UK there is no legal requirement for an employer to pay an injured employee their usual or full salary if they are unable to work due to ill health or injury. This applies even when someone has been injured in an accident at work.

The only legal requirement is for an employer to ensure that an injured or unwell employee who cannot work due to injuries suffered in an accident at work receives Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). This leaves an injured employee with a heavily reduced income until they are able to return to work. Whilst it isn’t an immediate fix for this problem, one of the benefits of succeeding with a claim for compensation after injuries suffered in an accident at work is that the claimant can also seek to recover all lost income and expenses.

We understand that coping with a loss of income after an accident at work is a very stressful and troubling situation. You may find this article of interest as it provides more information about coping with a loss of wages after an accident at work.

Speak with a claims expert

42 questions on this article

After suffering from a slip resulting in a broken leg, having never been in this situation, I was confused, anxious and not sure what I should do with regards to claiming compensation for loss of earnings. The internet is a minefield of varying advise and companies all offering their services and a lot was jargon and unclear. The wording and explanations on the site given by Ian Morris was clear, concise and in plain English. I requested a call back and Ian promptly called me to discuss my case. He was patient and knowledgeable and I felt comfortable talking to him, feeling that he understood my concerns. I would thoroughly recommend anyone who needs to make a personal injury claim to talk to Ian Morris to help point them in the right direction in order to move forward to making a claim.

EL, Surrey

Clear, concise and helpful support – thoroughly recommended!

Claiming personal injury compensation is all new to us and any misgivings I might initially have had were quickly dispelled. We are very impressed with the speed and professionalism you have all shown to date. Regardless of any final outcome we could not expect more and it is reassuring to know you have a clear and reasonable incentive in achieving a successful outcome. I have no problem in your including any of my comments on your website to put others at ease in using your service.

Mr. Twigg, Somerset

I would just like to say how pleased I am with the level of response I get from the solicitor, she is always more than helpful and always quick to respond.”

N Ferguson

Excellent Service!

I would just like to comment on the excellent service I have received from direct2compensation. My call was answered promptly and I was put in touch with the solicitors to deal with my case who have done so efficiently and without complication.

This is a really good service to use when you require advice, help and compensation after an accident.